


Magnetism

by 2shytheshippy



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, spoilers for 8x02 kinda
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-23
Updated: 2019-05-01
Packaged: 2020-01-24 12:30:57
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,833
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18571558
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/2shytheshippy/pseuds/2shytheshippy
Summary: Arya and Gendry had always been drawn to one another. Initially, it was due to platonic reasons, and then after time and distance, not so platonic reasons. Now, that they're older and maybe wiser, how do they learn to navigate what comes next.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I lifted some dialogue from THAT scene. Okay, and the first time sorta kinda, but there's a story here people...maybe. Just go with it.

A year and a half ago, Gendry heard Arya started attending school in the area. Although he wanted to hang out, he didn’t know where to begin or what he’d say. They’d gotten along pretty well when she was younger, but things were different: she was older and with age people tended to change. Gendry wouldn’t begrudge Arya her growth, but sometimes revisiting the past ruined the magic that existed in that moment.

Gendry thought he would hate the Starks when his father Robert first brought them up. When Gendry came to live with his father, Robert incessantly talked about his good buddy Ned who he hadn’t seen to in years. He said that Ned had sons and a pretty daughter around his age. 

Actually, he said, “Ned, has a shit ton of kids. You’d probably get along with Jon and Robb, and then want to bone his daughter Sansa.” Robert suggestively laughed as he elbowed Gendry. “He has two younger sons and another daughter, but they’re way younger than you.”

Disgusted, Gendry said, “We don’t have to go; I’m fine staying here.”

“I know we’re fine staying here,” Robert dismissively acknowledged. “But, we’re going anyways.”

Unenthused with his father’s decision, Gendry sat in the back and fumed.

He suspected that Robert wanted to see Ned because he was mentally worn down by his stepmom and their kids, well, specifically, Joffrey, who was insufferable. Tommen and Mrycella were actually nice, polite kids who largely kept to themselves, which was odd to Gendry considering their mother and how Joffrey turned out.

Personally, he wished he could’ve stayed in his room or go to Flea Bottom and hang with his friends. But, Robert wouldn’t allow it, despite Gendry saying it would help him cope better with his mother’s death, which Robert famously called Gendry’s grief a ‘mood killer.’

Robert never claimed Gendry while his mother was alive and healthy, but on her deathbed as she died from cancer, she called Robert and begged and pleaded for him to take care of Gendry. Ellie didn’t want him to go to the state and get lost in the system. Robert repeatedly ignored her pleas, until he came to visit Ellie shortly before she died and noticed Gendry’s startling resemblance to him.

He proclaimed to others, “I knew that was my boy right then and there.”

The comment always rubbed Gendry the wrong way. Robert didn’t claim him for years not because he suspected he wasn’t his father, but because he didn’t want the responsibility and Cersei wouldn’t stand for it. But, after seeing how much Gendry resembled him, suddenly, he wanted to be ‘accountable’ as a father.

Gendry scoffed at his father’s ridiculousness, but moved in with him anyways. It was what his mother wanted and, despite his crassness, he figured they could developed a relationship. Robert was his only surviving parent.

After spending time with his father and in his father’s world, there weren’t many people Gendry thought highly of including Ned Stark with the way Robert went on about him. Judging by his father’s character, Ned couldn’t be that good of a guy if he was Robert’s best bud.

Boy, Gendry couldn’t be further from the truth, which he secretly admitted to himself.

Ned and his family weren’t anything like he assumed. Ned was polite, thoughtful, and nothing like his crass father. His kids were also kind and well-mannered. Catelyn was polite and accommodating, but Gendry occasionally caught tells that she didn’t really much care for or like the Robert and Cersei; she appeared to try her best to tolerate Joffrey. 

Beforehand, his father warned him, “If Catelyn’s a bit standoffish with you, don’t read too much in it. She doesn’t like bastards much.” Robert chuckled to himself as if relieving a fond memory. “I got ole Ned really drunk at his bachelor’s party, and then nine months later: he was the proud father of a child that WASN’T with his wife.”

As Robert warned him, Catelyn had been standoffish just like she was with Jon, Ned’s child with another woman. The older woman clearly treated Jon differently than she did the kids she had with Ned. Robert casually mentioned that Jon’s mom died in childbirth, which is why he lived with Ned and the rest of the Stark clan full time.

Instantly, Gendry bonded with Jon and Robb, but more so Jon. Dead moms and evil stepmothers was instant bonding material for them. Jon never spoke ill of his stepmother, but it was clear he didn’t like her all that much. It was also clear to Gendry how Jon vicariously lived through him with how he bitched about Cersei. Of course, that stayed between them when Robb weren't around and they bonded over other things. 

As his father correctly predicted, he did want to bone Sansa. Due to her looks and distant nature, Gendry never tried. Besides, he was friends with Jon and Robb, that’d never go over well with them.

Although Gendry occasionally spoke to Rickon and Bran, as his dad mentioned, they were young, so there wasn’t much they could talk about. Bran was incredibly smart and adventurous, so they did converse every once in a while. Rickon was into biking, skateboarding, and graffiti (the last part was to his parents dismay).

Ironically, despite her youth, Gendry got along with Arya the most. Whenever she could, she’d tag along with her brothers, but they largely told her that she had to stay behind. Arya would pout, roll her eyes, and stomp her feet. Then, before he knew it, she’d disappear and be up to something else. She had friends, but loved hanging out with her brothers more. Sometimes, Jon and Robb weren’t around when Gendry showed up with Robert and he’d play video games with Arya instead. They’d play for hours. Or they’d watch shows and movies together.

“My mom doesn’t like it when we hang out together,” Arya revealed once. Before he could ask why, she said, “My mom thinks you’re too old to be hanging out with me.”

Fair point, Gendry thought. He was a 16 year old hanging out with an 11 year, but it wasn’t like that. They always hung out in the front room and what did Catelyn expect him to do? Ignore Arya. She was a cool 11 year old and, despite her age, he felt comfortable talking to her. She wasn’t as guarded as Jon, as standoffish as Sansa, or as carefree as Robb (or as young minded as her younger brothers). Arya was bold, fearless, and incredibly thoughtful. She was also endlessly entertaining to hang around.

The last time he saw her was when he was 18—she’d been 13 then—right before he moved out of his dad’s house. The Starks and the Baratheons had gone camping together, which was really, the Baratheons stayed in a hotel and went yachting on the lake and the Starks actually camped in the woods. Arya and Gendry stayed up for most of the night telling each other scary stories in hopes of scaring each other. Ned told them it was time for bed and Arya went into the tent that she shared with Sansa as Gendry went into the tent he shared with Jon

And here was she now, in the bar in front of him.

“Gendry?” A smiled spread across her face as she instantly recognized him.

Gendry returned her smile. “Hey, Arya.”

Although she looked older, her face was the same, just matured.

“Hey,” she said softly, as a fondness caressed her greeting. “I’d like two Angry Orchards and two Coors light.”

“Coming right up.” Gendry promptly got her beers. He didn’t card her since the drinking age was 16 and he knew she was 19. “Here ya go.”

Arya paid Gendry the appropriate amount, tip included. “Thanks.” As she walked away, she threw him another look before she sat in the booth with two other girls. Apparently, both of the Angry Orchards were for her.

She left without saying goodbye.

 

Gendry didn’t see Arya again until a week and a half later. 

She plopped down on the stool in front of him and ordered two Angry Orchards. “How come you left without saying goodbye,” she said as a way of greeting.

Gendry raised an eyebrow.

“Ugh…you know what I mean.”

He did.

Gendry handed Arya her drinks. “I didn’t leave; I just didn’t return.”

“Why?” Arya drank one-fourth of her bottle as she looked at him expectantly. 

“You know I didn’t get along with my dad,” he reminded. “We had a huge argument and I didn’t want anything to do with him. I had thought about you all, but I didn’t have the means to come down there and I doubt I would’ve been welcomed without my dad.”

He couldn’t use Robb, Jon, or even Sansa as an excuse to visit without Robert. They were all out of the house by then and Catelyn would never go for Gendry visiting Arya without his dad. Their friendship as it was already felt inappropriate to her.

Arya seemed to accept his explanation as she finished her first beer, and then walked off to a booth with her second. The booth was occupied by the same girls from before.

Arya visited Gendry again the next day, but this time she came by herself as she sat at the bar the entire night and spoke to Gendry as he worked. He quite enjoyed her presence and his boss didn’t seem to mind since Arya wasn’t interfering and was a paying customer.

From that moment on, she regularly visited him, usually on Mondays and Thursday, as her usual of consistent of two Angry Orchards or wings, mozzarella sticks, and two Angry Orchards. When it was really busy and they couldn’t talk, Gendry turned on the games he knew Arya would like the most.

His coworkers started calling Arya his girlfriend. Gendry knew they were teasing and didn’t think anything of it or, at least, tried not to. It wasn’t that he didn’t want Arya to be his girlfriend, it was that he didn’t know how to feel about her in this new context. The adult Arya and not the little girl that followed her brothers around. Or who her mom supervised whenever they hang out together because he was “too” old to be her friend.

She was an adult now with the body of a woman’s body to match. She drank and bummed cigarettes off of him. Her favorites words were cunt and fucker and she looked at him like she wanted him to fuck her in her cunt.

And he did.

It was just something they didn’t talk about as they settled into an easy adult friendship as instead. They shared drinks at other bars and sang terrible karaoke together whenever she drug him on stage. Sometimes, they went to the diner down the street and ate breakfast as the sun began to kiss the sky.

Whenever she got too drunk, she slept on his couch and whenever their movie and TV watching sessions ran too late, he slept on hers. 

The times her parents called and checked on her, Arya never mentioned that Gendry was with her, that they hung out, or that she’d seen him at all.

In retrospect, Arya was right not to tell her parents—her mom—about the sleepovers.

Gendry went from sleeping on her couch to sharing her bed in a very quick time. Naively, he thought he could platonically share the bed with Arya, which seemed to be true at first. They slept peacefully those first few nights. His sleepovers went from once every other week, to a few times a week. Not having to share an apartment with his roommates and the allure of Arya’s bed clouded his better judgment.

“How many girls have you been with?” It took a moment for Gendry to process the question and, when he did, he frowned as he looked at Arya.

“Huh?”

Persistently, she asked again, “How many? One, two…twenty?”

“No, I—I…don’t know,” Gendry helplessly responded. Although the question felt random, he knew it wasn’t. There wasn’t anything random about Arya. “I didn’t keep count.”

She turned on the couch and faced him. “Yes. You did.”

“Fine.” Gendry shrugged. “Three.”

Arya scooted closer to him. “I’ve experienced a lot of things in life, but not sex; I want to know what that’s like.”

Stunned, Gendry shook his head as he searched for words. Unconcerned with his speechlessness, Arya leaned over and kissed Gendry to which he reflexively kissed her back. It was as if a dam broke inside him or the floodgates had been opened. Gendry kissed Arya with all of his might as she kissed him with all of hers. Or maybe he was thirsty and Arya was his tall glass of water. But, he craved her in a way he’d been unable to admit to himself for the longest. He felt his insides melt as Arya’s lips met with his and her tongue danced inside his mouth.

He wanted to take her to her bed, but Arya pushed his back against the seat cushion. They had already ridded him of his shirt and he took off his shorts and underwear per Arya’s orders. 

After Arya undressed, she sat on his thighs and leaned forward to kiss him again. He could tell that this was new for her as well. Gendry was fine with Arya experimenting on him—understanding her likes, wants, and needs. She alternated between gentle and hard; between pain and pleasure. 

With sure hands, she pulled Gendry’s right hand between her legs. Her eyes implored for Gendry to touch her there and he didn’t need to be told twice. (Actually, she hadn’t told him at all) Gendry sucked on his fingers, and then gently stick one of them in Arya for her to get an idea of what penetrated was like. He heard her breathing hitch, and then a small gasp as he stroked his finger in and out of her. At her folds increasingly becoming wetter, Gendry added another finger, which pleased Arya even more. She whimpered in his ear as her hips began to rock. It pleased Gendry that Arya was relaxed with him—that she really wanted this.

His hot mouth latched onto Arya’s breasts as he licked and sucked on them, which Arya responded favorably to. As Gendry added a third finger, he gently bit her nipple.

Arya gasped, “Gendry.”

His cock twitched.

Her breathing was labored and her pupils were blown.

Taking his hand out of her, Arya pushed Gendry’s back against the couch seat again.

Arya lifted her hips as Gendry positioned his cock near her entrance. “I’m clean,” he informed her before they began.

“I know,” Arya whispered. Neither were worried about condoms since Arya was on birth control to regulate her period. 

Bracing one hand one Gendry’s chest and the other on the Gendry’s hand, which rested on her hip, Arya slowly sheathed herself on Gendry’s engorged cock. Deeply, Arya moaned as she took more of Gendry and felt him stretch her. For a moment, she watched as his cock filled her before her eyes fluttered closed in bliss with a hint of pain. The entire time, Gendry watched Arya, wanting to make sure that she was okay. Virgins didn’t usually ride their first time, but then again, Arya was unlike any girl he ever knew.

It took a few moments for the pain to completely subside, but once it did, Arya picked up her pace. Knowing better than trying to control or influence the pace, Gendry’s hands lightly gripped Arya’s hips as he waited for her to tell him what to do next. But, for the moment, Arya’s hands rested on his chest as she navigated her first time having sex and what she found pleasurable during it. She experimented with how she rocked her hips and how she rode his dick; Arya experimented with the pace and the tempo.

Gendry shifted his hips to give Arya a better angle and she rewarded him with a guttural moan.

She leaned in and kissed him again before leaning back again.

 

Gendry was content with Arya riding him, especially how she looked so utterly pleased as she did. Arya’s hands tightened against his chest and he knew she was close. Her eyes were closed and her breathing was even more labored. She rocked her hips a few more times before crying out his name.

“Fuck,” she sworn breathily. “Oh my Gods. That was…that was…”

“Fucking-fan-tastic,” he finished.

Arya nodded. “Yea…”

Sloppily, she kissed Gendry as he sat up and pulled her close and tightly. She was too tired to finish him off.

..or so he thought.

Arya pushed him back against the couch and summoned extra energy to ride Gendry until he came. She went harder than she did the first time to make up for her tiredness, but Gendry didn’t care because Arya felt so fucking good.

He grabbed her breasts and Arya removed her hands from his chest and held them over his own.

“I know you wanna cum in me,” she moaned. “Don’t ya, Gendry? Don't ya? Cum in me—ooh, Gendry, cum in me.”

Gendry tightly held Arya’s hips and thrust up.

“Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck….”

Arya collapsed against Gendry. She smiled into his chest and said, “So, that’s what it’s like.”

Gendry knew he was screwed.

 

It took them a long time to define their relationship—too long. Their sleeping habits hadn’t changed, but neither one broached the topic of moving in together, especially when they weren’t together. They just fucked a lot, slept in the same bed even when they weren’t fucking, spent a lot of time together, went out together, and exclusively only dealt with one another.

It was during her 21st birthday party. They’d been at some bar and some college girl had hit on Gendry. Arya was drunk off her ass and ready to fight. Knowing what was about to happen, Gendry picked her up and took her outside. He laughed at her belligerence before she abruptly kissed him and declared, “You’re mine.”

“Yea, I am.” He laughed.

Solemnly, Arya shook her head. “No. You’re mine.”

With equal seriousness, Gendry said, “I am.”

For the next month or so, Gendry and Arya half assed discussed telling their parents about them—hers more so than his. They were no longer just fucking, they were dating (although truth be told, they’d been quite serious about one another since the first moment they had sex—even before then).

Gendry sleepily rubbed his eyes, and then leaned over and repeatedly kissed Arya on her ear until she roused.

She groaned and turned away from him.

“I’m going out to get something to eat, what do you want,” he whispered in her ear.

“My usual,” she grumbled before she pulled the covers over her head.

Gendry smiled to himself. Arya had a usual at every place they ate at.

Gendry got up from the bed to get a glass of water before he got dressed. He wasn’t in a rush and knew Arya wouldn’t be up no time soon.

As he finished the glass, he heard someone fiddling with the front door. Looking around the room, before he could process what to do next, the front door opened.

“Gendry?”

Gulping, the young man said, “Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Stark.”

“Gendry,” Catelyn began. “Why are you standing in the middle of my daughter’s living room in nothing, but your underwear?”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clearing the air.

Gendry froze.

It wasn’t that Arya’s parents never visited, but rather, they were usually obsessive about reminding their daughter they were coming in town. For one, the elder Starks tried to be respectful of Arya’s life and whatever plans that came with them. Ned and Catelyn believed in treating their kids like adults once they legally became adults. Their philosophy was: if we wouldn’t come over unannounced to any of our friends or acquaintances homes, why would we do it for our kids? The other reason was so that Arya remembered that they were coming in town, which Arya expressed annoyance about.

“That makes sense,” Gendry said in response. “They don’t want you to accidentally make other plans.”

Arya laughed to herself. “No, that’s my mum’s way of reminding me to clean my apartment, so she doesn’t walk into a pigsty when she visits.”

Gendry snorted. “As if you’ve cleaned a thing since I’ve started sleeping over.”

Smiling to herself, Arya said, “Exactly. That’s why her reminders are so fucking annoying.”

Gendry wondered if Mrs. Stark thought Arya’s place was clean due to her reminders or because she thought Arya finally learned to clean her apartment without being told. 

As if.

But, now…they’ve come by unannounced.

Catelyn wore a look of utter disbelief; she wasn’t sure how to process what and who she was seeing in front of her. On Ned’s end, it seemed as if a part of his brain was malfunctioning as he tried to digest the scene as well. Finally accepting that his brain wasn’t playing tricks on him, Ned’s face hardened as Catelyn’s became disgusted and repulsed.

“Gendry, my wife asked you a question.” Ned’s usual civil tone had an edge to it. His jaw clenched and he looked around the room

Gendry thickly swallowed as he took his in girlfriend’s parents, especially Ned. It wasn’t necessarily because Ned was angry, but rather, the fact that her father was angry at him. Ned had always been nothing, but kind and welcoming to Gendry. Whenever he and his dad had this spats, Ned would call and check in on him. It was clear that, despite them being long time friends, Ned disagreed about many of Robert’s behaviors and decisions. Gendry could see why they’d gone so long without talking. Although they got along well, Ned and Robert were fundamentally two different people and it showed, especially with their marriages and kids.

After getting to know Ned, Gendry wished the Stark patriarch had been his father instead. Sure, he’d have to put up with Catelyn, but that wasn’t comparable to what he’d been dealing with then. The combo of Robert, Cersei, and Joffrey would drive anyone mad. But, in retrospect, then Arya would be his sister; Gendry would gladly suffer through his past bullshit if that meant being with Arya. 

As irrational as it seemed, Gendry brought his hands in front of crotch as if to cover himself. 

“Umm…umm—I…” Gendry floundered. Scratching his head, he looked towards the bedroom, and then back at Ned and Catelyn. “Well, I—I—“ He sighed.

“You what,” Catelyn pressed. Her tone was sharp and daring him to say what he couldn’t articulate. 

Gendry gestured in the direction of the room as he walked away. “I’m—I’m going to get Arya.”

“You go do that,” Ned barked. By the change in his tone, Gendry knew he was speaking to his wife, “Are you fucking kidding me ri…”

Ned’s voice abruptly cut off when Gendry shut the door.

“Fuck,” Gendry swore in a loud whisper. “Fuck.”

Gendry paced back and forth for a few seconds as he rubbed his head in distress. They weren’t supposed to find out like this. This wasn’t the plan. Fuck. There hadn’t been a plan.

Ned and Catelyn knew that Arya and Gendry hung out occasionally, but Arya hadn’t been forthcoming just as to how much time they spent together. Arya was supposed to drop hints that they’d been spending more time together. They hadn’t decided to date yet, but it was time to let her parents know that they weren’t meeting up every blue moon either.

Other than that, they never settled on how to plant the idea in her parents head about him and Arya being a thing. Gendry didn’t get worked up about it because it was Arya—she didn’t sweat most things. She would’ve told him he was overreacting or treat him concerns as such and he’d feel silly for thinking too deeply about it.

But, now he wished he would’ve said something or pressed the issue.

Shaking her, Gendry said, “Arya. Arya.”

Arya groaned and pulled the covers tighter over her head.

Gendry tried to pull it, but met resistance. “Arya.”

“What?” Annoyed, Arya turned away from him. She just looked like a lump under the covers. It would be amusing if he weren’t terrified right now. “Leave me alone.”

“Your parents are here,” Gendry announced.

The lump—Arya—lifted her head. “Hmm…what’d ya say?”

“Your mum and dad are here,” he repeated. 

Arya pulled the comforter off of her head. She wore a pensive expression oppose to terror or fear. Gods, why did he have to find that look so endearing? Arya almost always kept her cool in many situations. It was one of the many things he found admirable about her.

Resting her head on the pillow, Arya snuggled into it before she smiled to herself. It wasn’t one of happiness, but it definitely wasn’t fear either; intrigue maybe. Arya then looked at him. Her eyes twinkled; her smile was coy.

Arya threw her legs over the edge of the bed and stretched. Her moment was cat like, which always fascinating Gendry due to her contradictory nature: Arya’s personality was a wrecking ball, but physically, she was light on her feet and stealthy. If Gendry weren’t so terrified at the moment, he’d pounce her. Her sleepy, dreamy eyes, disheveled hair, and her nudity in all its glorify made his dick hard. Despite her nipples being rigid due to the abrupt temperature change, Gendry knew that her breasts were warm.

Although Gendry knew he should be used to seeing Arya naked by now, it still had the same effect on him as it did the first time. But, he didn’t think he’d ever get used to it. If he hadn’t gotten used to it in two years, he wasn’t it was ever going to happen. (But, deep down, Gendry was unable to admit that he didn’t want to get used to it because she was going to leave one one of these days) Last night, he woke up to Arya’s mouth wrapped around his dick like it was her favorite flavored Popsicle. Gendry squeezed his dick for temporary relief (how was he hard right now, he was never this horny before he started fucking Arya, but here he was).

Right before she pushed him to the brink of no return, Arya got on top of him and rode him until he his cock no longer throbbed inside of her; until she was boneless; until both of them could hardly speak because they were so out of breath. They were content and slick with sweat while exchanging wet kisses after exchanging other bodily fluids.

“What are you doing? Get dressed,” Arya ordered. Surprised, Gendry attempted to speak, but Arya interrupted him. “You’ll only make things worse for yourself by staying in here.”

Moments later, Gendry followed Arya out of her room in shorts and a sleeveless T-shirt.

Arya looked at her parents and smiled. “Hey. What are you two doing here?”

Incredulous, Catelyn looked at her youngest daughter. “Is that all you’ve got for us: Hey. What are you two doing here?”

Unfazed by her mother’s reaction, Arya perched on the arm of the couch. “Well, I don’t know what you expect me to say. I didn’t know you were coming by.”

“Clearly,” Catelyn said, sardonically.

Amused, Arya bit her inner check, and then threw a look back at Gendry. He stood just in front of the doorway with his arms nervously crossed.

“I’m not understanding,” Arya began. “Did I do something wrong?”

As if slapped, Catelyn’s brows shot up in surprise. Before she could speak, Ned intervened. 

“Arya, you know your mother and I don’t try to interfere in your life, but we deserve an explanation,” Ned said. His tone was gentle, but Gendry could tell Ned worked hard for it to sound that way.

“No. You don’t.”

Taken aback, Catelyn said, “Excuse me.”

Ned looked at Arya in surprise and so did Gendry.

“Mum and dad, I’m not trying to be rude, but I don’t owe either of you an explanation,” Arya doubled down. “I’m an adult. Isn’t that how you’ve us to view ourselves once we became adults? Dad, isn’t that what you tell me whenever I get into it with Sansa?” Arya looked directly at Ned. “Or, mum, how you constantly tell me that I’m an adult and I should be cleaning up after myself and learning how to cook.” Arya was calm as she spoke to her parents. “If I get in trouble at school, they aren’t going to call you all because I’m an adult. If I break the law and I get charged, it will be as an adult,” Arya pointed out. “So, why is it when I get into a relationship that you apparently have an issue with, I owe you an explanation despite being an adult?”

Deeply, Ned inhaled before he slowly exhaled. “Are—are you serious right now, Arya?”

“Yes.” Calm and determined, Arya looked her parents in their eyes.

“Arya, just because you’re legally an adult doesn’t mean you know everything,” Catelyn pointedly said. “All your father and I are trying to do is look out for you and you’re acting as if we’re trying to control your life.”

Snorting, Arya folded her arms as she frowned at her mother’s words. “Mum, I don’t think I know everything—I’m not even pretending that I do. But, treating me like a child and demanding that I explain my relationship to you isn’t ‘looking’ out for me. All it does is tell me that you don’t trust me.”

“How—how can we when you keep secrets from us,” Ned asked.

Arya arched an eyebrow. “Dad, do you honestly want to know every aspect of my dating life,” she said suggestively. Despite her dating and sexual history only being limited to Gendry, Arya wanted to highlight the flaw of her father’s thinking.

“Arya, you know what I mean.” His cheeks colored, but his tone was still direct and no non sense.

“What secret am I keeping from you,” Arya questioned. “Gendry and I have only been together for like a month and a half, dad—should I have told you and mom the first day we kissed or when we started officially dating?” She looked between her parents. “What about when we first had sex?” Ned’s eyes widened at her admittance and Catelyn was at a loss for words. “Usually, kids—adult children—don’t tell their parents until they’ve been with their boyfriend or girlfriend for three months or more. But, because Gendry and I are serious about each other, we’ve been discussing how we would tell you all about us…you know, as a courtesy.

“It’s not like I’ve knocked up my college girlfriend and secretly eloped,” Arya remarked. “Or that I transferred schools to be with a girl after hooking up over Christmas break. Or that I keep going back to a guy that treats me like utter shite and put up with his bullshit whenever we’re together.

“No, I’m just dating the guy that I met when I was younger who was a little bit older than me. Who, by the way, stopped coming around when I was 14 and I didn’t see him again until I was 19,” she reminded. “My ‘transgression’ is the mildest thing that you two have to deal with and it’s not even a real thing. You two just can’t over when we met. Yea, I get why it bothers you, but I’m an adult; wanting privacy isn’t the same as being secretive, dad."

Clenching his jaw, Ned rubbed his beard as he looked at Arya, and then Gendry. A bitter laugh erupted from him. Catelyn looked at her husband like he was crazy.

“Ned?”

“She has a point, Cat,” Ned reluctantly admitted. “She and Gendry haven’t been together that long and, honestly, it’s the least stressful issue one of our oldest kids have presented to us.”

Surprised, Catelyn looked at her husband. “You can’t be serious, Ned?”

“Cat, we don’t have to like this, but as Arya has kindly reminded us, she’s an adult. What are we going to do, punish her? Forbid her from seeing him? We can’t pick and choose when to treat our children like adults; we agreed to always respect their decisions, remember, Cat?”

Frowning, Catelyn turned away from her husband. She paced back and forth near the window. “Of course, I do. Arya, I’m sure you think you know what you’re doing—“

“I don’t,” Arya freely admitted. “And that’s fine. You told me that there isn’t a handbook on adulthood or dating; just try to be decent, kind, and a person of your word. You said that people make a lot of mistakes in both, but it’s what we learn from those mistakes that matters.”

It was Catelyn’s turn to bitterly chuckle.

“I did say that, didn’t I?” Catelyn looked at her daughter and sighed. “Arya, I just want what’s best for you.”

“I know, mum…I know.” And she did. Despite Arya and her mother occasionally butting heads, Arya knew her mother meant well. “But, how will I know that if I make decisions based off of what you approve of and not myself?”

Smiling to herself, Catelyn said. “Point taken.”

The four sat in silence for a moment before Arya said, “So, why are you all here?”

“Oh, umm…” Catelyn half heartedly smiled. “We were in the neighborhood and wanted to surprise you. I was going to cook you breakfast if you had any groceries. If not, I was going to take you out.”

Perking up, Arya asked, “Does the offer still stand?”

Laughing at her daughter, Catelyn said, “Of course, sweetie.”

Arya smiled. “Well, the fridge is stocked, mum, so…I’m ready when you’re ready.”

Rolling her eyes, Catelyn went to the kitchen and gathered the necessary items to cook breakfast.

Looking back at Gendry, Arya warmly smiled as she reached out to him. He walked over to her and took her hand.

“See, the world didn’t end,” she whispered.

“Not yet,” he whispered back.

When Catelyn finished, the four awkwardly shared breakfast together. Her parents danced around the topic of Arya’s relationship with Gendry, not wanting to discuss it anymore than they already had. Arya didn’t know how long it would take for her parents to truly accept them, but she was glad that the situation wasn’t made out to be a bigger deal than it was.

Ned and Catelyn left shortly after breakfast. They hugged Arya and nodded at Gendry.

When Arya closed the door behind them, Gendry said, “I’m surprised they didn’t kill me.”

“There’s still time,” Arya joked. 

Despite his unamused expression, Arya smiled.

**Author's Note:**

> I just have a lot of feelings, okay. And there's this little vague idea I want to work through. It's modern AU because it's the only thing I know how to write. lol


End file.
